BENTONVILLE, Arkansas – fromwww.nwanews.com – A former Bentonville High School math teacher wiped away tears Thursday morning as she stood before a judge and admitted to having sex with a student and providing him alcohol.
Melissa Gayle Monroe, 32, of Bella Vista, pleaded guilty to sexual assault in the second degree, a class B felony; and two counts of knowingly furnishing or selling alcohol to a minor, a class C misdemeanor. A class B felony is punishable with a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years, a fine up to $15,000 or both. A class C misdemeanor is punishable with up to 30 days in jail, a fine up to $100 or both.
Monroe’s attorney, Alan Lane, and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joni Rose were able to resolve the case with a plea agreement that requires Monroe to serve a jail sentence and be placed on state-supervised probation.
Monroe’s case was scheduled for a jury trial on June 23. She was arrested on Feb. 19, 2008.
Monroe admitted to having sexual intercourse with an 18-year-old student on Jan. 26, 2008, and providing him alcohol on two separate occasions. The sexual encounter allegedly occurred on the night of the student’s 18th birthday.
Monroe was arrested because of her position of authority as the teenager’s teacher. Arkansas law specifies that it is a crime for a public-school teacher to engage in sexual contact with a student younger than 21.
Monroe taught math in the Bentonville School District for seven years. She was terminated from her teaching position following her arrest.
Bentonville police started an investigation after then Bentonville High School Principal Steve Jacoby reported to a school resource office that a teacher was possibly having an inappropriate relationship with one of her students. Court documents show Jacoby learned of the allegations from another teacher.
The teacher reported that Monroe had text-messaged and telephoned her in regard to having sex with a student, according to court documents.
Bentonville police detective Mark Jordan interviewed the student, who said Monroe had been his teacher for three years. The student said he went to Monroe’s home, where he drank beer and wine, according to an affidavit in the case. The student said he and Monroe had sex in her bedroom, court documents state.
Monroe admitted to having sex with the student when she was questioned by Jordan.
A hearing was planned for Thursday on Monroe’s attorneys motion to introduce the sexual history of the student, but instead, Monroe pleaded guilty.
Monroe’s attorneys had also filed a motion to prevent prosecutors from introducing an allegation that Monroe had exchanged sexually explicit text messages with another former student.
Rose told Circuit Judge David Clinger that Monroe’s case is unusual because she is charged with having sex with an adult, but her actions are a crime. Rose said the victim and law enforcement supported the plea agreement.
Lane told Clinger that Monroe is already seeing a counselor and that she and her husband are also involved with marriage counseling.
Monroe does not have any prior criminal history.
“From what the state understands, Mrs. Monroe will never teach again,” Rose told the judge.
Clinger said he had no objection to prosecutors’ decision to not put Monroe in prison.
“I’m satisfied you suffered in this regard,” Clinger said to Monroe. “You lost your job.”
Clinger accepted the plea agreement and Monroe’s guilty plea.
He followed the recommendation of the plea agreement and placed Monroe on statesupervised probation for five years. She was sentenced to 120 days in the Benton County Jail for the sexual assault. She received two 15-day sentences for the two misdemeanors, but those sentences will run concurrently with the 120 days. Monroe also must register as a sex offender and pay $1,670 in court-associated costs.
She will report to the county jail by 7 p.m. Aug. 23 to start serving her sentence.